Ruby Roseman-Gannon has opened her Bay Crits title defence in style, taking maximum points in the first stage of the three-race Geelong cycling event.
Riding with the Bayside Citroen team, the 24-year-old was the favourite heading into stage one on Sunday.
She lived up to her top billing, edging veteran Olympian Amanda Spratt (Novotel Prestige Jayco) in the sprint to the line, with Peta Mullens (Roxsolt Liv SRAM) third across after a breakaway group of three were reeled in before the final lap.
Commonwealth Games road race champion Georgia Baker finished fifth, riding for her teammate Roseman-Gannon, who was a first-year rider last year in Europe with Team BikeExchange Jayco.
"It was a hot one and we wanted to be aggressive and I think we were ... that's the way I like to race," the Victorian told reporters.
"It was a bunch sprint and I had a great lead-out from the team - I can always depend on Georgia and my other teammates and I pulled it off."
With temperatures reaching 35C, riders faced 50 minutes of gruelling racing plus three 1.9km laps.
As well as points for their line finish from first down to 12th, cyclists could also pick up points for intermediate sprints during the race.
Keely Bennett (Team Bridgelane) led the sprint classification, a point clear of three riders including Roseman-Gannon.
